SOUTH GLENS FALLS – A 77-year-old truck driver died in a freak accident Friday when he was buried by a truck load of dirt he was dumping.

Pearly J. Provo, who worked for Troy Topsoil of Mechanicville, was dumping a load of topsoil from his tractor-trailer-sized truck at the Clinton County landfill in Morrisonville early Friday when the load came loose and covered him, according to Clinton County sheriff's deputies.

Despite frantic efforts by witnesses to dig him free, Provo died shortly after arrival at Champlain Valley Physicians' Hospital in Plattsburgh, deputies said.

Deputies said a preliminary investigation showed Provo had a load of heavy, wet dirt and debris in the dump trailer and investigators believe Provo went to check on his trailer, which was in the dump position, to make sure that all of the material had slid out. Some left-over material slid out of the dump trailer striking him in the chest and stomach area. The impacted caused Provo to fall backwards and become engulfed in soil.

Provo had lived for several years in Salem and had recently moved to South Glens Falls, deputies said.